Single Publication

Hill Top Fire

News - 08/23/2023

This is the final update for the Hill Top Fire as the Florida Gold Incident Management Team will transition command of the fire to local fire departments today.

Size: 200 acres

Containment: 95%

Start Date: August 18, 2023

Cause: Lightning

Incident Commander: Keith Mousel

Management Team: Florida Gold Team

Current Situation:

Firefighters will continue to patrol and monitor the fire area.

Weather:

Forecast weather includes continued hot and dry conditions with elevated wind speeds this afternoon. Residents and visitors to the area are likely to see high levels of dust and ash blowing from the burn area as winds increase out of the east.

Evacuations and Closures:

There are no evacuations at this time, but citizens are encouraged to refer to the Taylor County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page for more information.

The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in still place for the area over the fire, today [NOTAM: FDC 3/8262,https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_8262.html. Please avoid the area to provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft.

Emergency Alerts:

Taylor County Commissioners Court implemented a county-wide burn ban for Taylor County effective immediately July 18, 2023 for 90 days or until substantial rainfall has saturated all areas within the County.

Alert Center • Taylor County, TX • CivicEngage (texas.gov)

Damages and Injuries: 

Significant damage to powerlines and a repeater building were noted by fire managers on Aug. 19. No other structure damage or loss has been reported.

On Aug. 20, two minor injuries were reported. The firefighters were treated on scene and returned to work.